Hosea 2:6-8
by
Rev. Mark Perkins, Pastor
Denver Bible Church
326 E. Colorado Ave.
Denver, Colorado 80210
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Hosea 2:6
I. Translation
"Therefore behold me, the one hedging up your way with thorns.
And I shall wall up her wall, and she will not find her paths."
II. Hebrew Notes
A. The first word is the participle SAQ, which means "to
build a hedge". A hedge can be used in one of two ways:
to protect someone from something, as in a hedge around your
estate keeps the unwanted out. It can also be used to obstruct,
as in a hedge maze. That is the case here. God is hedging up
the way of the adulteress.
B. The specific kind of hedge is delineated by the noun SIRIM,
which means "thorns". It is interesting to note that
you can penetrate a hedge, but if it is thorny it is going to
be painful to do so. That is the picture here. The way to the
adulterous liaisons is blocked by a thorny hedge. To go through
that hedge is possible, but it will be painful, and she will
not emerge unscathed.
C. Next is the Qal perfect verb NADAR, which means "to build
a wall". The object which is said to be walled up is the
wall which belongs to the adulterous woman. The home in ancient
Israel usually had a walled courtyard, and the courtyard was
a very popular place to hang out. The wall would have doors and
windows for access. This verb tells us that the woman will be
shut up or trapped in her house, and unable to travel about to
her liaisons.
D. The final verb is lo THIMS.A'. It is the Qal imperfect, and
it is negated by the adverb LO. It is the verb which means to
find. What is searched for, but not found, is the path of adultery.
The woman will have the desire for adultery, so that she can
get the things for her idol worship. However, God will prevent
her doing so by placing roadblocks in her way.
III. The Meaning of the Verse.
A. This verse is all about Divine intervention into the area
of sin.
B. There are two levels of sin in the life of the adulterous
woman.
1. The first level is the level of adultery; what she does so that she can participate in her idolatry. This is just a means to an end.
2. The second level is the level of idolatry, and this is what she really lives for, and it is definitely worse than the first level.
C. This adulterous woman represents the older generation in the
nation of Israel - she is one, but she represents many.
D. It is the aim of God to gain their attention - AND, this is
the aim of divine discipline (chastisement). Its sole aim is
to gain the attention of its object.
1. The absolute best way to gain someone's attention is through suffering.
2. God uses suffering to gain our attention, so that we will look to Him for answers.
E. The specific kind of suffering in this verse is frustration
suffering.
1. The woman is being prevented from engaging in her adulterous liaisons.
2. Remember, the liaisons are the means to an end, and if she doesn't give sexual favors, she won't receive what she needs to participate in her precious idolatry.
3. Therefore, she is frustrated, and the intent is that she will turn her attention to God.
F. There are two levels of frustration suffering here.
1. The first level is the hedge level - a hedge of thorns is placed in her way.
a. This is something that is painful to pass through -whether emotionally or physically, and thus it makes the adultery not worth it.
b. In the case of adultery it may be a change in circumstances which leads to her being unable to do the same thing at the same time - perhaps she must go to great ends to meet her lovers now.
c. It could be venereal disease - which makes intercourse painful or embarassing.2. The second level is the wall level - where the activity is completely prevented.
a. This level of frustration suffering makes it impossible for the adulterous woman to engage in her liaisons.
b. In turn, she cannot engage in her idolatry, which is what she really wants in life.
c. Nothing seems to work out for this woman, or this generation; remember that this woman represents the entire nation.
d. This is even worse than the first level, and its design is to focus her attention on God.
G. Additionally, there is a general frustration about life.
This frustration comes from having no direction; from having
nothing seem to work out in life; from always seeming to make
the wrong decisions; from never getting what she really wants.
H. This, too is made to focus attention on God
Hosea 2:7
I. Translation.
"And she will ardently pursue her lovers but she will not
reach them. And she will fervently seek them, but she shall not
find. And she will say, "Let me leave and return to my first
man; it was better for me then than now."
II. Hebrew Notes.
A. First is the verb, RIDPHAH, which is a piel intensive perfect.
It portrays the pursuit of something which is not good or constructive
to one's life. It is intensive by nature, and so it shows the
relentless pursuit of one addicted to idolatry who is frustrated
in gaining the means for that activity. It shows endless running
and pursuit.
B. The participle 'AHEBH is the direct object of the verb, above.
It too is in the piel stem, and so it shows the former intensity
of her adulterous activity. There was a lot of it, it occurred
often, and with many different people.
C. The hiphil causative of NASAQ and the negative adverb indicates
the failure of her pursuit. She intends to reach them, but she
does not. She tries and tries to get over that wall, or through
that thorny hedge, but she does not.
D. There is a repetition of thought with the verb BAQISH, which
means "to seek". It is in the piel stem, and so the
idea of intensity is again conveyed.
E. The result is again frustration. She does not find them. This
is a repetition of the word MAS.A', which was in the previous
verse.
F. The intended result is next. The following is God's intent
for the adulterous woman.
1. The intent begins with the Qal perfect of the verb AMAR, which means "to speak" - the woman is going to say something.
2. First, she says "let me leave". This is the Qal imperfect cohortative verb 'ELKHAH, which makes an entreaty for the intended action. Notice that this reveals the true desire of the woman, based on her frustration.
3. Second is also the Qal imperfect cohortative, this time of the verb 'ASHUBHAH, which means to return. It is God's intent that her true desire be for her first husband.
4. Third is the comparison of her previous life with the one she has now.a. She says BI TOBH HARI'SHON, ME'ATAH: far better the first than now.
b. This is a simple clause of comparison, and suddenly, in the frustration which God has brought upon her, the adulterous woman becomes nostalgic about her first husband.
c. However, this is God's intent.
III. The Meaning of the Verse.
A. This verse shows the purpose of God's divine discipline -
a change of heart.
B. It is His intent that the woman should repent and return to
her first husband.
C. It is His intent that she realize how truly great it was with
him, and so return.
D. Only by frustrating her ways can He make her wake up and pay
attention to Him.
E. Again, the woman represents the nation of Israel, the first
husband their one and only true God, while the second husband
is the idols which they worship.
F. Review of chapter two. So far we have had:
1. God's evangelism strategy for the nation of Israel, which stands on the brink of destruction.
2. What will occur if the strategy is rejected by the people - destruction of the nation, both young and old.
3. The reason for the destruction, which is their problem with adultery and idolatry.
4. God's discipline strategy for the nation, which means roadblocking the adultery and thus frustrating the idolatry.
5. The intent of the discipline, which is repentance and a return to Him.
Hosea 2:8
I. Translation.
"And she knew not that I gave the grain and the first wine
and the fresh oil to her, and that I multiplied the silver and
also gold they made for Baal."
II. Hebrew Notes and the Meaning of the Verse.
A. The first verb of this verse is the qal perfect of Yadh`ah.
The perfect tense denotes an action in the past which is now
complete. It means to know someone or something intimately, and
it is negated by the adverb LO. Therefore, this is translated,
"She knew not".
B. The verb NATHATI is also a qal perfect, and it is identical
in form and syntax to the previous one. It means to give, and
in this context to give a present, or grace gift to someone.
It represents the grace covenants which were provided by God
to Israel.
1. God gave her two three things, all of which were used in idol worship.
2. The new wine is of particular interest, because wine in the ancient world came in two classes.a. The first wine of the year was made from grapes, and it was always the very best.
b. After that, the wine was made from various other fruits, but never again wine grapes. Therefore, the wine in this passage was the very best vintage.
C. The third verb is HIRBETHI, which is the hiphil perfect. The hiphil stem shows the cause behind the action of the verb, and so God causes the multiplication of the precious metals to the adulterous woman.
1. Notice that God does not use the verb for giving here.
2. This multiplication is a verb which denotes much profit and prosperity. The money she makes is measured by multiplication, not addition.
D. The fourth verb is `ASU, which means to make something.
It is the qal perfect, and it shows that whenever they received
blessing from God, they made it into an idol, or a part of their
idol worship.
III. The Impact of the Verse.
A. This verse shows the irony of the whole situation with the
adulterous woman, and it also presents the central and most important
issue.
B. The irony is this: The woman goes to her adulterous lovers
because they give to her all of things that she needs for her
idol worship. She doesn't really love them, she just makes love
with them so that they will give her the stuff.
C. The woman lives for idol worship. She gathers all of those
fine things so that she gain engage in her relationship with
the false gods.
1. This means that there are two levels of adultery in this passage.
a. The adultery of the woman, Gomer from her husband.
b. The adultery of the woman from her relationship with God.2. These two levels of adultery apply both to Gomer and to the older generation of Israel.
D. This verse tells us that this woman could have had all of those great things, and a relationship with God, too.
1. The things that she had were a part of the covenant blessings from God. She did not need to chase her lovers in order to get the oil and grain and flax and wool and wine and silver and gold.
2. God gave her the very things that she chased after, and she used them to try to have a relationship with a piece of wood.
E. Again, the key verse of this book raises its head. "For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God, rather than burnt offerings."
1. The relationship covenant was the spiritual code of the Mosaic Law.
2. The spiritual code defined a portfolio of ritual which was designed to reveal various aspects of His character and His desire for a relationship with the nation of Israel.
3. There is no relationship without knowledge. In Israel this knowledge was provided through the ritual.
4. The priests performed the ritual. The tabernacle was the place of the ritual, and revealed things in and of itself. The prophets interpreted the ritual.
F. The woman was getting the covenant blessings and going
to the rituals of her idolatry and using them there. Her blasphemy
was total.
G. Remember that God had placed obstacles in the woman's way
so that she could not commit adultery.
1. Incredibly, she found that she still had the things with which she performed her idolatry.
2. This was designed to remind her of the presence of another God. The living and true God.
H. Whenever God disciplines us it is to get our eyes back on Him. The discipline is designed to take our eyes from whatever idol we might worship and remember Him and His grace offer.
1. The discipline is for our own good. It is designed to bring the very best thing in the world to us: a relationship with God.
2. Knowing God is truly the greatest blessing of all; it brings sense and order and good things to your life.
3. Knowing God gives you confidence about the future for both time and eternity.
4. Knowing God gives you the ability to communicate effectively to Him and to others.
5. Knowing God gives you the ability to have great relationships in life through virtue love.
6. Knowing God sets you forth to a great destiny.
7. Knowing God gives you the ability to enjoy the material things of life.
8. Knowing God gives you the ability to be content no matter what your circumstances might be.
I. Divine discipline places a roadblock in your way to make you stop and think about God. There are two types of roadblock: The hedge, and the wall.
1. The hedge you can go through, though it may be painful.
2. The wall you cannot, and it causes you even more pain through frustration.
3. In the case of roadblock discipline, the blessings remain.
J. Divine discipline will also remove the original blessings
in a second, more severe phase.
K. Finally there is the sin unto death, which is the point of
no return.
L. The next verses have to do with removal discipline and after
that there will be final discipline.
M. Remember, God's motivation is love.
End of Hosea Lesson 6
Warren Doud [ Grace Notes ]
1705 Aggie Lane, Austin, Texas 78757
Phone: 512-458-8923
wdoud@bga.com